Traditionally, mobile telephones rely on some form of rechargeable battery pack to power the transmission and reception of wireless signals, as well as the control circuitry of telephone itself. Indeed the mobility of a mobile telephone depends upon the ability of the telephone to be supplied power without being connected to a wired telephone network or to AC line/mains power. Clearly, then, the usefulness of a mobile telephone is largely a function of its battery life, i.e., the maximum amount of operating time that may elapse between battery chargings. When charging is required, it must generally be performed by physically connecting the mobile telephone to some electric power source, such as an electrical outlet (via an AC adapter) or an automobile cigarette lighter socket. What is needed, then, is a mobile telephone with an extended battery life, which is less dependent upon frequent physical connection to external sources of power. The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems, and offers other advantages over previous solutions.